Performance In Team Sports Research Articles

Investigation of the acute effect of different warm-up protocols on test performance in young soccer players

Background and Study Aim. Effective warm-up strategies are crucial for optimizing performance in team sports. However, identifying the most effective protocols requires consideration of the specific conditions and age of young athletes. The purpose of this study is to examine the acute effects of three different warm-up programs on specific test performance responses in young soccer players. Material and Methods. Twenty-three amateur soccer players (age = 15.13 ± 0.81 years) participated in the study. The athletes performed a dynamic warm-up along with two different neuromuscular warm-up programs: the FIFA 11+ and the Injury Prevention and Performance Enhancement Program. Performance responses in sprint, jump, and agility tests were measured. Data normality was assessed with the Shapiro-Wilk test. The effects of the warm-up protocols were analyzed using one-way repeated measures ANOVA, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results. The research findings revealed a statistically significant difference in the 10m sprint, 20m sprint, vertical jump, and zig-zag agility tests, both with and without the ball, when using the FIFA 11+ warm-up program (p < 0.05). The study demonstrated that the FIFA 11+ warm-up program improved performance responses more effectively than the other warm-up programs. This warm-up protocol enhances neuromuscular control by increasing the activation of the core, hip, and leg muscles. Conclusions. The study demonstrates that the FIFA 11+ warm-up program significantly enhances performance in specific tests, such as sprinting, jumping, and agility. Coaches are encouraged to implement the FIFA 11+ protocol in both training sessions and pre-match routines to optimize athletic performance in young soccer players.

Developing Performance in Sports Teams Through a Collective Homeostasis Model Supports Regulation, Adaptation, and Evolution in Competition

The collective homeostasis model, grounded in ecological dynamics, has recently been proposed to explain the self-regulating individual-environment interactions that are necessary to conceptualizing sports teams as collective homeostatic systems. Based on these insights and given the capacity of humans to construct and adapt their ecological niches, this article explores the creation of enriching sporting contexts for the development of adaptive player-environment interactions in competitive team sports. This model of adaptation emphasizes the importance of creating a sports niche rich in shared affordances to enable team coordination through the development of individual and collective homeostasis in different sub-phases of competitive performance. In a homeostatic sports system, principles of play advocated by coaches allow players to intentionally coordinate and adapt their actions to shape the collective identity of the team. The team’s identity is shaped by the synergetic development of collective attractors (stable system states) emerging at specific scales of complexity. This is facilitated through the manipulation of constraints by the coaching and support staff. These ideas have important implications for implementing team sports training and performance preparation, helping to transform the self-regulating tendencies of players through adapting their behaviors to dynamic performance contexts.

Team Sports Coaching and Performance in a Government University in Wuhan Province, China

Team Sports Coaching and Performance in a Government University in Wuhan Province, China

Effects of resisted sled training on sprint performance in team sports. A systematic review and meta-analysis

Effects of resisted sled training on sprint performance in team sports. A systematic review and meta-analysis

The timing of vision in basketball three-point shots.

The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between gaze behaviour, motor responses and the direction of visual attention when different levels of basketball players were engaged in a basketball three-point shot. Twelve near-experts and 12 amateur basketball players, wearing an eye tracker and an inertial sensor, performed 20 shots on a basketball field, receiving the ball from a teammate, who then acted as the opponent. The trial sequence was subdivided into catching, aiming and ball flight phases. The analysis demonstrated that near-experts exhibited longer fixation durations and saccades of lower amplitude and peak velocity than amateurs. The gaze behaviour showed that all players utilized fixations during the last part of the catching phase, during most of the aiming phase, and during the final part of the ball flight phase. The greatest number of saccades was exhibited between the aiming and the ball flight phases, when the ball was released by the players. Saccades were oriented toward the teammate during the catching phase. Instead, during the aiming and ball flight phases, saccade orientations were not polarized toward a specific visual cue. In conclusion, vision plays a critical role in every aspect of the three-point shot in basketball, from catching the ball, to aiming preparation, and shot execution. It is a key factor in decision-making, spatial awareness, and overall performance in team sports.

Enhancing team sports performance: a case study of the optimal post-warm-up time window

AbstractWarm-up routines are crucial for performance enhancement in team sports, with their effectiveness varying based on individual profiles, exercise mode and timing relative to the activity. This study investigates the impact of a 5–10 min interval post-warm-up on physical performance and sympathetic stimulus, as indicated by salivary biomarkers, in 19 college athletes. Performance was assessed via countermovement jump, 20 m sprint and handgrip strength tests conducted pre-warm-up, 5 min post-warm-up and 10 min post-warm-up. Saliva samples were collected at each stage to evaluate flux, α-amylase activity and protein content. Significant effects (p < .001) were observed in all three performance measures and saliva markers. Notably, sprint performance showed the greatest enhancement at the 5 min mark post-warm-up, while jumping improvements persisted through the 10 min window. However, a slight decline in sprint ability was observed from 5 to 10 min post-warm-up. These findings underscore the importance of optimizing warm-up timing and eventually considering re-warm-up strategies to maximize acute performance in team sports.

A framework for player movement analysis in team sports.

Player movement is a fundamental component of evaluating performance in most team sports. Movement can be evaluated across multiple scales, referring to the function of anatomical structures through various planes of motion or an individual regulating their field position based on the movement of opposition players. Developments in commercially available tracking systems have afforded end users the ability to investigate the spatiotemporal features of movement in fine detail. These advancements, in conjunction with overlaid contextual information, have provided insights into the strategies adopted by players in relation to their movement. Understanding movement beyond its semantic value allows practitioners to make informed decisions surrounding performance evaluation and training design. This investigation proposes a framework to guide the analysis of player movement within team sports environments. The framework describes how operational standards for assessing movement can be designed in reference to theory and a set training philosophy. Such practice allows for the spatial and temporal complexities within team sports to be described and could potentially lead to better-applied outcomes through greater interdisciplinary collaboration and an improved holistic understanding of movement. To inform its development, this study evaluates the current research and identifies several open questions to guide future investigations.

Transforming youth sports team performance in the Era of digitalization: The Interplay of charismatic leadership, satisfaction, and team engagement drivers

In sports, teamwork plays an vital role in improving performance. It makes the individuals nurture an environment of team dynamics, acquaintance, and instructor support. It collaboratively synergizes a team's satisfaction and performance, and thereby its ability to achieve global success. This study examines how charismatic leadership affects team performance in the context of digitalization, focusing on employee satisfaction and team engagement. A survey of 409 participants from the sports industry was conducted to assess their perceptions of leadership style, satisfaction, and engagement. Using a Likert scale, the survey identified correlations between charismatic leadership and key team outcomes. The analysis demonstrates the significant impact of charismatic leadership on enhancing satisfaction and driving team engagement, offering valuable insights for leaders aiming to boost team performance in a digitally transformed workplace.

Systematic review: pain, cognition, and cardioprotection-unpacking oxytocin's contributions in a sport context.

This systematic review investigates the interplay between oxytocin and exercise; in terms of analgesic, anti-inflammatory, pro-regenerative, and cardioprotective effects. Furthermore, by analyzing measurement methods, we aim to improve measurement validity and reliability. Utilizing PRISMA, GRADE, and MECIR protocols, we examined five databases with a modified SPIDER search. Including studies on healthy participants, published within the last 20years, based on keywords "oxytocin," "exercise" and "measurement," 690 studies were retrieved initially (455 unique records). After excluding studies of clinically identifiable diseases, and unpublished and reproduction-focused studies, 175 studies qualified for the narrative cross-thematic and structural analysis. The analysis resulted in five categories showing the reciprocal impact of oxytocin and exercise: Exercise (50), Physiology (63), Environment (27), Social Context (65), and Stress (49). Exercise-induced oxytocin could promote tissue regeneration, with 32 studies showing its analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, while 14 studies discussed memory and cognition. Furthermore, empathy-associated OXTR rs53576 polymorphism might influence team sports performance. Since dietary habits and substance abuse can impact oxytocin secretion too, combining self-report tests and repeated salivary measurements may help achieve precision. Oxytocin's effect on fear extinction and social cognition might generate strategies for mental training, and technical, and tactical development in sports. Exercise-induced oxytocin can affect the amount of stress experienced by athletes, and their response to it. However, oxytocin levels could depend on the type of sport in means of contact level, exercise intensity, and duration. The influence of oxytocin on athletes' performance and recovery could have been exploited due to its short half-life. Examining oxytocin's complex interactions with exercise paves the way for future research and application in sports science, psychology, and medical disciplines. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=512184, identifier CRD42024512184.

"The Role of Coach-Athlete Relationship in Enhancing Team Sport Performance: A Multi-Sport Perspective"

This research provides useful insights on the coach-athlete relationship in college sports by analyzing the characteristics of the participants, evaluating players' perspectives on this relationship, and revealing the difficulties encountered by student-athletes. A heterogeneous group of primarily male athletes participated in a variety of team sports, with soccer, basketball, and volleyball being the most prevalent. Athletes often had favorable opinions on their interactions with coaches, demonstrating exceptional performance in areas such as communication, motivation, guidance, empathy, openness, understanding of roles, and ethical conduct. Nevertheless, significant gender-based disparities arose, as men athletes reported more positive connections compared to their female counterparts. Furthermore, student-athletes have pinpointed significant obstacles, such as difficulties in communicating, incongruity in coaching styles, resolving conflicts, obtaining mental health assistance, ensuring ethical conduct, and addressing concerns about criticism.

NEAR MAXIMAL VELOCITY SPRINTS ARE RARE, BUT HIGH-INTENSITY ACCELERATIONS OCCUR FREQUENTLY DURING INTERNATIONAL MALE FIELD HOCKEY

INTRODUCTION & AIMS In team sport, high-intensity running is generally used to describe velocities associated with maximal aerobic speed, with sprints defined by near maximal velocities, which are considered important to team sport performance. However, recent team sport investigations have revealed that near maximal velocities are seldom attained, but high-intensity accelerations occur frequently and may better represent the most demanding aspects of team sport match play. Field hockey research in this area is lacking, and therefore, we aimed to explore the frequency of high-intensity accelerations in elite field hockey, and how often these accelerations resulted in the attainment of sprint velocities. METHODS Movement data were collected during 2023 across 3 tournaments (17 matches) from 27 members of the Australian male field hockey team (totalling 266 player matches). Duration, high-intensity accelerations (>2.5m.s-2 for >1s), sprints (>7m.s-1), and repeated high-intensity efforts (≥3 accelerations or sprints with ≤45s recovery between efforts) were extracted. Mixed effects models were used to estimate the mean for each outcome (fixed effect), with random intercepts modelled for player and match. RESULTS Players were active for 51min and completed 42 high-intensity accelerations per match, which lasted for 3.6s, covered 12.9m, and reached a peak velocity of 4.8m.s-1. Only 6.4% of high-intensity accelerations resulted in the attainment of sprint velocity (2.5 per match), and these efforts lasted for 6.1s, covered 35.6m, and reached a peak velocity of 7.5m.s-1. Players completed 4.5 bouts of repeated high-intensity accelerations per match, which comprised 3.7 efforts per bout, interspersed with 16.4s of recovery; however, no repeated-sprint bouts were observed. CONCLUSION High-intensity accelerations occur frequently in field hockey; however, these rarely result in the attainment of sprint velocities. Practitioners should consider monitoring high-intensity accelerations to ensure players are being adequately prepared for competition demands.

A temporal graph model to study the dynamics of collective behavior and performance in team sports: an application to basketball

A temporal graph model to study the dynamics of collective behavior and performance in team sports: an application to basketball

Differences between U23 and older semi-professional soccer players in perfectionism and passion: exploring determinant relationship between variables.

Abundant studies have pointed out that perfectionism and passion are interrelated and that they both can influence performance in a variety of contexts, including sports, however, research on how these variables interact and might affect performance in team sports, such as soccer, is still scarce. The aim of this study is to analyze differences in perfectionism and passion between under-23 years-old (U23) and older semi-professional soccer players, as well as to study the possible relationship between these two psychological variables. Participants (N = 130 healthy semi-professional Spanish soccer players) were divided into two equivalent groups according to the participants age, U23 (N = 65; 21.58 ± 1.91 years) and older than 24 years (N = 65; 30.03 ± 3.72 years) and completed self-reports on perfectionism and passion. Independent samples t-test determined significant differences between the U23 Group and the >24 Group in perfectionism global score and concern over mistakes (maladaptive perfectionism), and in time, value, and passion. Multiple regression analyses revealed that obsessive passion predicted maladaptive subdimensions of perfectionism, while harmonious passion predicted adaptive perfectionism. U23 soccer players show higher levels of maladaptive perfectionism, time, value, and passion in relation with soccer than older players, probably because at this stage pressure to become professionals and to develop their technical, tactical, and physical skills is higher than in later stages. Identifying differences between different age groups can help professionals in tailoring their interventions and strategies to address the specific needs of athletes at different stages of development more effectively, and to optimize mental focus, reduce stress, to promote a healthy mindset for optimal performance in soccer players, furthermore, the study of moderating effects of factors such as team dynamics or coaching styles on these constructs is advised.

How coaches design small-sided games in rugby union: a practice-based review

Background: Game-based training (GBT) is a holistic method for improving performance in team sports. Task constraints and design parameters can affect training effectiveness. The evidence on how small-sided game (SSG) design in rugby union (RU) influences outcome variables is lagging. No study has investigated the contemporary SSG practices of RU practitioners in different performance contexts. Methods An anonymous online survey with twenty-four questions was distributed to RU training staff six times worldwide in one year through multiple e-platforms. A frequency analysis was used to assess responses and contrast it with the literature. Results: 115 surveys were recorded. The dominant characteristics were >5 y experience (66% of respondents), head coach position (53%), New Zealand-based (77%), coaching male players (69%) on the local/school level (68%). Higher-level practitioners applied larger SSG formats with shorter duration, using more extreme pitch sizes and less tackling, for conditioning purposes primarily. Lower-level practitioners targeted fun and technique. Smaller game formats and tackling were used more in male and youth players, and on the lower levels. Further observed differences relate to practitioner role, experience, and geographical location. Conclusion: Practitioners design SSG differently depending on their coaching background, target population, competition level, and geographical location. Practitioner education on GBT would optimise RU training practice. This study provides performance-contextual insights.

The Impact of Sports Team Performance on the Stock Market: Evidence from China Men's National Football Team

The Impact of Sports Team Performance on the Stock Market: Evidence from China Men's National Football Team

Performance and healthcare analysis in elite sports teams using artificial intelligence: a scoping review.

In competitive sports, teams are increasingly relying on advanced systems for improved performance and results. This study reviews the literature on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in managing these complexities and encouraging a system thinking shift. It found various AI applications, including performance enhancement, healthcare, technical and tactical support, talent identification, game prediction, business growth, and AI testing innovations. The main goal of the study was to assess research supporting performance and healthcare. Systematic searches were conducted on databases such as Pubmed, Web of Sciences, and Scopus to find articles using AI to understand or improve sports team performance. Thirty-two studies were selected for review. The analysis shows that, of the thirty-two articles reviewed, fifteen focused on performance and seventeen on healthcare. Football (Soccer) was the most researched sport, making up 67% of studies. The revised studies comprised 2,823 professional athletes, with a gender split of 65.36% male and 34.64% female. Identified AI and non-AI methods mainly included Tree-based techniques (36%), Ada/XGBoost (19%), Neural Networks (9%), K-Nearest Neighbours (9%), Classical Regression Techniques (9%), and Support Vector Machines (6%). This study highlights the increasing use of AI in managing sports-related healthcare and performance complexities. These findings aim to assist researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in developing practical applications and exploring future complex systems dynamics.

Relationships Between Task Constraints, Visual Constraints, Joint Coordination and Football-Specific Performance in Talented Youth Athletes: An Ecological Dynamics Approach.

Individual performance in team sports is a multifactorial reflection of how well a player can cope and accomplish tasks in varied playing situations. Thus, performance analysis should not only focus on outcomes, but also on underlying mechanisms of those outcomes. We adopted principles of the ecological dynamics approach (EDA) to investigate the effect of introducing constraints on players' joint coordination responses for a football-specific performance drill outcome. Seventeen talented youth football (soccer) players performed a football-specific drill under different conditions: basic constraints, additional defender dummies, stroboscopic glasses, and a combination of the latter two constraints. We recorded these players' execution time, passing accuracy, and lower extremity joint kinematics. We calculated joint coordination for hip-knee, knee-ankle, and trunk-hip couplings. The added constraints negatively affected execution time and passing accuracy, and caused changes in joint coordination. Furthermore, we identified a relationship between execution time and joint coordination. This study serves as an example how the EDA can be adopted to investigate mechanisms that underlie individual performance in team sports.

Women's wheelchair basketball lineup analysis at the Tokyo 2020 paralympic games: game related statistics explaining team sport performance.

Performance analysis through game-related statistics in wheelchair basketball (WB) has focused mainly on the study of the individual efficiency of players according to their functional classification. However, there is little evidence focusing on lineup performances (five players on court) and their composition. Thus, the objective of present study was to analyze the efficiency of the women's WB lineups used during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games (PG) and to determine the variables that best discriminated the lineup performances according to the final point differential. The sample comprised 507 lineups used in the 31 games by the 10 national teams during the competition. Fifty-one different lineup types (LTs) were categorized. A discriminant analysis was carried out to compare the lineups with a positive and negative point difference according to the game type (balanced and unbalanced games). It was found that LTs 16 (1-1.5-2.5-4-4.5), 47 (1-2-2.5-4-4.5) and 14 (1-1.5-2.5-4.5-4.5) had the best means of efficiency in field goals (LT 16 = 52%; LT 47 = 44% and LT = 40%), while LT 50 (1-2-3-4-4) obtained the highest mean difference in points (3.67 ± 10.67). The variables that best discriminated winner teams in balanced games were field goal efficiency (SC = 0.55), assists (SC = 0.50) and turnovers (SC = -0.41). Field goal efficiency, assists, turnovers and steals are the game-related statistics most associated with the success of a lineup used in balanced games in WB in PG competition; this could be taken into account by coaches when deciding how to compose a given lineup in a moment of the game, to adequately select players from different functional classifications for the final squad and to choose training content related to the indicated game-related statistics, as they explain success at this competition level.

Relationship Between Athlete-Reported Outcome Measures and Subsequent Match Performance in Team Sports: A Systematic Review.

Sansone, P, Rago, V, Kellmann, M, and Alcaraz, PE. Relationship between athlete-reported outcome measures and subsequent match performance in team sports: A systematic review. J Strength Cond Res 37(11): 2302-2313, 2023-Athlete-reported outcome measures (AROMs; e.g., fatigue, stress, readiness, recovery, and sleep quality) are commonly implemented in team sports to monitor the athlete status. However, the relationship between AROMs and match performance indicators is unclear and warrants further investigation. This systematic review examined the relationship between precompetitive AROMs and subsequent match performances of team sport athletes. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, 3 (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) databases were systematically searched to retrieve studies investigating the effects or association of AROMs and match: (a) technical-tactical performance (match-related statistics), (b) physical performance, (c) physiological and (d) perceptual demands, and (e) other measures of performance in adult team sport athletes. Quality assessment of included studies was performed using a modified Black and Downs checklist. Fifteen articles representing 289 team sport athletes were included. Mean quality of included studies was 7.6 ± 1.0 (of 11). Across the included studies, 22 AROMs parameters were used, and 16 different statistical approaches were identified. Approximately 11 of 15 studies used nonvalidated AROMs. Overall, associations or effects of AROMs were found consistently for match-related statistics (7/9 studies), whereas results were unclear for physical performances (3/7 studies), perceptual demands (1/2 studies), or other measures of performance (2/4 studies). Considering the importance of key match-related statistics for success in team sports, this review suggests that monitoring precompetitive AROMs has potential to provide valuable information to coaches. However, it is indispensable to validate AROMs questionnaires and to uniform data collection and statistical procedures before substantiated indications to practitioners can be made.

CORRELATION BETWEEN INDICATORS OF BALANCE OF NERVOUS PROCESSES WITH LOCALIZATION OF CONTROL IN HIGH SKILLED WOMEN HANDBALL PLAYERS

Introduction. The problem of finding the psychological resource of the athlete remains relevant. Success in sports largely depends on the athlete’s individual psychological characteristics. Many authors, based on research, conclude that the internal locus of control has a positive effect on performance in team and non-team sports. It seems to be an interesting scientific problem to study the gender aspect of this problem.
 The purpose of the study: to establish a relation between the locus of control and the characteristics of the response to the moving object of elite women handball players.
 Materials and Methods: Athletes of the Ukrainian National women handball team (21 players aged 17 to 28, experience in this sport from 5 to 19 years) took part in the research. To study the locus of athletes' control over significant events, the method for the research of the level of subjective control (LSC) by J. Rotter was used. Software and hardware complex “BOS-test-Professional” for psychological and psychophysiological diagnostics was used to determine the characteristics of the athlete’s response to the moving object.
 Results: A study of internality found that the majority of skilled handball players (61.9%) have a general internal type of locus of control. The vast majority of athletes tend to take responsibility in the field of productive (sports) relations (81%), areas of achievement (71.4%) and failures (52.4%). However, in areas such as family relationships, health and illness, most athletes share responsibility with the social environment and feel unable to control external circumstances. A correlation has been identified between the internality of locus of control and the ratio of nervous processes (inhibition and excitation) in elite women handball players. Higher stability of athletes' responses to a moving object is associated with a more pronounced internal locus of control, but only in the field of family relations. The obtained data indicate a more optimal functional state of the athlete’s central nervous system with internal locus of control.
 Conclusions: Family relationships and health & illness are the most sensitive areas for female athletes. This fact provides a basis for gender mainstreaming in psychological support activities.